So anyway, I went around and took some photos of all the graffiti pieces that have been PAID FOR in my town. As you can see, paint art (graffiti is a noun, you don't do graffiti any more than you do statue or do novel, you paint, or "put a piece up.") is highly regarded in my town. You might say "Well that's not what graffiti is.." but actually, it is, and these kids have practiced on walls designated for art, playground walls, businesses, alleyways, under bridges... and refined their skills until they get paid A LOT of money. One of these piece can fetch thousands of dollars, brings in tourism and stimulates the local economy through "mural revealing parties" which amount to a kind of grand opening celebration. They celebrate the local culture and environment, resources and give the downtown an artsy, hip, colorful vibe that is known throughout the world.
So, criticize all you want. In my town artists know what they are doing, why, and where, and nobody EVER stops someone from doing graffiti. Even tagging is considered a stepping stone towards greatness, and there's a code of ethics about what are tagging or painting spots and what arent. People still do it at night and in remote places to keep it somewhat out of the public eye until it comes time to put a good piece up. It's not ghetto buildings either. Underneath a huge bridge where no one goes, or on some basketball court. It's still illegal, but so is smoking pot, and the cops don't bother anyone here for that either, but nobody does it in front of kids either.
Hope you all are able to see another side of this terrible terrible crime that some of you think is worthy of execution. No graffiti artist goes on private property here or paints a storefront, that's NYC trash behavior . If they did, it'd just be painted over with a neutral color and everyone would carry on being cool and relaxed, not a hostile vigilante wannabe a cop tough guy redneck ass.
link
link
^links to highly renowned artwork by professional "graffiti artists" aka painters.
i'm with you here. looking at walls with nothing is boring, something colorful and cool is definitely OK with me. besides there's a huge difference between tagging and creating a mural of some sort. tagging a name is more on the annoying side because any cretin can do it with no effort.
I'd keep an eye out for the cops for them, because I'd want them to do the same for me. I do graffiti art. Storefronts are an unlikely target- usually it's like factory or warehouse walls, the side or behind buildings, trucks, sometimes trains if you're good, or electric boxes and power boxes and such. Bridges (the abutments) are good too. I don't graffiti stuff that would affect someone really badly, like highway signs or school buses or a house.
I think graffiti is such a contemporary, creative, true social commentary. If a city kid was spraying "Fk the Police" on the side of the police station, I'd like to come by later and spray, "Ditto. +1"
It's nice to see all these folks not really caring much about art for art's sake, graffiti doesn't really do that much damage. Usually graffiti spots are not storefronts or houses, they are known places to put a piece up and artists respect that. I especially like how almost all the girls didn't care, and some guys professed to act tough but most are not vigilante enough to actually try to initiate a confrontation with someone and create violence when there was no violence happening to begin with.
PS you wouldn't catch a graffiti artist, that's why there's so much graffiti.
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^For example, Didn't see that coming did you bud? ( ?° ?? ?°)
Best Piece I Ever Put Up.
Yeah yeah, so much creativity, that's also what makes the ghetto "the ghetto".
There's a place for everything, if you want to display your so called "creativity" then do it on something that belongs to you, or obtain permission wherever it is you're going to do it, otherwise it's vandalism and you're just another addition to the ghetto, irrelevant to whatever else you argue.
I'm OK with that. I actually do mine in industrial areas where no one lives.
I don't mind being a vandal, in fact I enjoy it.
Ghetto: A quarter of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social, legal, or economic pressure
What "ghetto" has to do with industrail areas and the backs of buildings I have no idea. They aren't zoned residential.
My city is known for having more beautiful murals than any other city; done by graffiti artists.
Explain cave art lol :P
Things decline in value because of people like you who destroy the city with vandalism. You can do it any place where you have the permit to do it OR where the place belongs to YOU! Saying you do it in "back" or industrial buildings means nothing! 'that' city declines in value the moment you start to vandalize it. It's like a dress that's been torn (from the back), it still cannot be sold for its original price, the value of the dress has decreased. It is now affordable to lower class. Get it?
That is so interesting!
Cities don't have dollar figures. I get that you are self-righteous and not very smart. If the value of suburban homes goes down, I'm glad. If the value of low-income housing goes down, good. Those people deserve to pay less for rent.
I've never done a single piece in an area that was zoned residential, so there is no possible way that the value could go down. You aren't that smart, and frankly I'd never want someone like you to like me.
I probably wouldn't do anything. I'm not a very confrontitional person, so I don't like
to make a big deal out things that I don't have to. Besides, it's just a petty crime.
and since they're not hurting anyone, I'd just let it go.
Plus, I think graffiti is cool. Especially, the ones that are graffiti artists.
It's amazing, what they can do with a can of spray paint! It can really be
beautiful art work, so I love it. If I was a brave person, I'd probably ask if
I could join them and have them teach me some of there skills lol. I
love art, graffiti included.
P.S. As for the link you put up in your update, I still wouldn't do anything.
It doesn't look that bad, I don't see anything wrong with it.
only that it looks really ugly. would you want that on your property?
Eh, there's worse things. I mean, if there where being vulgar and writing obscene or racist things with the spray paint, then yes that would bother me. But, if it's just a bunch of scrbbiles I wouldn't care. I look at this way, of all that other things they could be doing. This (though annoying and maybe not always pleasant to look at) isn't that bad. Just my opinion.
Probably nothing. For one, approaching someone in the middle of committing a crime like that isn't a good idea, haha, you just don't. If someone else's life was in danger, then yeah, but just someone tagging or making art on some wall, I'll leave them to it. =]
It's NOT "just someone tagging or making art on some wall."! It's vandalism. Destroying or dirtying someone else's belongings. Or can would you like them to come to your house and tag your walls?
I'll speak to them and call the cops if I see it happening. (or call the cops and keep them in a discussion until the cops arrive.)
I actually just heard about a recent story where a teenage guy, who was an aspiring artist got tased to death for graffiti. Sad story. But, in general, graffiti isn't even harmful. I'd probably just walk right past minding my own business.
Someone taking a crap on a sidewalk isn't harmful either. Should it be legal?
Opinion
16Opinion
Couple things, I've caught people tagging a few times when I was younger. Growing up in Inglewood, Ca you're taught not to go all vigilante on gang bangers. Call the cops but if you're in a sh*tty, graffiti enveloped area...more than likely they're not coming.
Look, you wanna' rumble with a group of punk kids in an alley. Maybe you're packing some "heat" or got your self your trusty Bowie knife...knock yourself out buddy. Go ahead put your self in risk for someones property. or, OR maybe you save that sh*t when someones life/safety is in danger. I'm pretty sure your love ones will be comforted you either shot a kid for defacing a wall or got your ass beat by a group of 16 y/o thugs.
All these down arrows are ridiculous. At least they're being honest. I'm pretty sure you graffiti crime busters are always calling code enforcement. You know, when owners don't pick up their dogs poo of someone else's lawn. Maybe you see someone dumping antifreeze, oil down the drain(which seems infinitely worse).
Also I'm pretty sure what QA is referring to isn't one of the aesthetically pleasing pieces. Probably "baby Joker" or "Sikboy" and "fOrTy" leaving their mark not something that's remotely eye pleasing.
Some graffiti artists are very talented. But most of the time it's messy and makes a place look hideous and unwelcoming. Spray paint street art is pretty cool if it's done right.
To answer your question; if the graffiti artist is enhancing the area and isn't damaging anyone's personal property, I'd let it be. But if it's hideous illegible spray paint smears like gang tags, or carving into a nice expensive wooden structure, or property damage I'd warn them that if they keep it up I'll report them. That sh*t ain't cool and it's vandalism, not art. I work security for the film industry and I know how to handle situations like this.
Depends, if they are making something cool I might stop and watch. I might talk to them and compliment their work, but also ask if they've got permission. If they say no, just be like "meh, oh well, just don't get in trouble, it looks good" and move on. If it sucks, might be like "should try and practice on your own stuff first" and move on. I don't care about graffiti or ow things look.
If it's not your building/property, you shouldn't be a d***.
You know, perhaps you are right! I never thought of it that way!
Just kidding, that was the first thing I didn't care about. I wonder why the majority of our intelligent, discriminating users don't care either? I guess maybe because even though it's not our building, we have to look at them the most. Should have painted them before!
Paint actually protects property from the effects of weather and pollution. Acid rain is such a d*** to property!
I'm OK with that. YOu sound mad bro? In my city it's actually OK to do graffiti, people pay to have it done on the side of their stores.
You can try to smash my car. Go ahead and find it? There's a reason tags aren't someone's name, and if you smashed any cars in my town, my neighbors would shoot you actually. I wouldn't because I'd be happy to collect the insurance. Too bad we can't arrange that, it's fraud.
DOn't tell me how to live, I already have this one figured out. Thanks though.
If people pay to have it down to their own stuff or ask for it, fine, but have respect for other people's stuff.
I'd just stand there and play on my phone. Not many people are actually dumb enough to keep doing graffiti when a witness is there with a phone. If they actually did it anyway, I'd walk away and call the police around the corner or in a place where the vandal couldn't see me. My town is ugly and full of stupid graffiti already, it doesn't need any more.
sometimes they can transform a boring brick wall into a different world. I would never stop that. graffiti keeps me company while I'm on the train.
I know people do graffiti. But I never seen a person actually commit the crime. Also, I live in the suburbs and no graffiti here. Finally, if I did see someone do graffiti then I would not care because as long as they are not spraying that sh*t in my eye then that's all that matters. Or I would open up a box of whoop ass kung fu powa!
If it's on my property, a landmark, or anything else that attracts people, I would call the cops. If it's just some boring old place, I would ignore it. A good artist can make a boring wall really pretty.
Nothing, but mind my own business,lol. I grew up in a really rough neighborhood, so I would not walk up and just confront someone like that - that would be way dangerous.
nothing? it happens all the time over here,nobody cares as long as it's not on their wall,we even have walls that are painted over specifically to make room for new art. graffiti is popular here.
Just google "beautiful graffiti art" what these kids do is insane, rivals picasso or Dali. In fact, here's a dali: link and another: link
Thanks for letting everyone discuss how awesome graffiti is and get an explanation and a fresh perspective on it.
A naked lady graffito on your school? Awesome. Must be in a cool city.
Depends on where it was. Any kind of plain wall, I wouldn't do anything. Windows or something like that I'd call the cops.
I wouldn't do anything. Just mind my business and maybe walk by afterward to see what they wrote lol.
Honestly, I probably wouldn't do anything. Approaching the person is the last thing I'd do. It's a crime, but not outrageous enough for me to really act on
It depends on what they're attempting to graffiti. If it's someone's private property, I'd try to stop them. If it's an abandoned building or a train car or something, I'm not going to sweat it.
This is why women shouldn't be allowed to vote. How can we trust them to make the right decisions for an entire nation when they can't even be bothered to report property crime in their own neighborhoods?
I don't care he/she can do whatever they want I like graffiti its art.
Art and tagging go hand in hand, tagging being an early form of learning and one-upmanship that becomes increasingly complex and leads to productive mural-style art. Tags are how artists develop their skills and gain recognition as an artist to be recognized. I'm talking about this: link
It's all about spreading a name at first, associating it with skill, then "selling" it.. link
No, I would mind my business.
Unless I saw someone's life endanger only then would I act.
what if they were doing it to your own property?
I wouldn't do anything.Graffiti is mainly just...ANNOYING.It isn't anything to get so worked up over.I'm sure that if someone just grabs a bucket of paint and paint over it,its fine.
Depends on if it's good graffiti or that bullsh*t "*instert name* wuzzzz herreeee"
Call the cops, unless it is my property, then I would confront him.
I would mind my business.That's how people get shot minding someone elses business even if it it illegal.
WillyZ.
You clearly haven't heard of people catching a beat down or worse for minding someone elses business.People are crazy in this world we live in...so why the hell would I involve myself in something as small as this that has NO bearing on me,or anyone else getting hurt.EXACTLY. Clearly you misunderstand my point. It is important to pick and choose your battles.
You recognize who did this? then yeah "drop a dime" on the f***s. Tell the store owner, if he doesn't care then move on/
As long as its not my wall I don't care probably nothing.
In my neighborhood? Nothing! I don't want to be a victim of gang retribution.
They're all in gangs RUN!
If you have a cell phone discretely call the police.
I'd let him finish, while I'd go graffiti his car.
LOL sure you would... You think graffiti artists are living in homes, and not apartment buildings? You'd probably fail and get arrested anyway, which would be hilarious. Or worse yet, you'd do something stupid like spray his apratment building where gangs and dealers actually do live, and the people there would end up stopping you for being an obvious idiot.
Graffiti artists don't live in single family homes in the suburbs, most often.
I would call the cops
A guy in a black hoodie with a bandana over his mouth and nose painted that and signed it with a contrived name... not much to go on.
People aren't really getting that graffiti happens, oh, right about now in the night (4am here) and it's way on the downlow. There are never witnesses, nobody is around and you can see a cruiser coming and just duck behind a building. If they stop for whatever reason (shiny paint, someone hears the bb shaking in the can) you split way ahead of them.
i wouldn't say anything
what if it was your property?
I sort of wonder why anyone would do graffiti on someone's property, but if they were enough of an a**hole to say, spray a house, it'd be a tag and theyd be out. A business, artists keep an eye out for anyone coming. If you want to hear "I'd shoot that motherf***er" well, murder is much worse than a little paint, and go ahead and kill someone and then live with yourself. If you feel you can, that's sad. You'd be a killer for life. Forever in fact.
yeah. what he said.
Simple. I'd stop them doing it.
Take the paint away from them I guess.
Why would you do that? Is it really worth potential violence? Vandalism is one thing, taking someone's paint is assault. Vandalism is a ticket and assault is jail time. Also, if the artist defended themselves from you, they'd have every right. You can't just go up to people and grab stuff from them.
Oh well. Everyone's different I guess.
I'd watch and clap if it's good.
Nah, I'd pull off the silent clap
shoot 1st
ask questions later
I have to say, that you are talking about paint being put on a blank wall. It nearly affects nothing, it's just a surface with colors on it. You would kill someone for that? That is seriously messed up dude. To a blind person, it would mean nothing. "Hey that's my blank wall, don't make it say stuff or have a picture!" BLAM BLAM. The truth is, if you weren't looking at it, it wouldn't matter at all. You would have killed someone for changing the hues on a boring wall, no harm at all.
destruction of property is no laughing matter.
however you can't have manslaughter without laughter
Report that sh*t.
*Thumbs up*
Eh, nothing
Nothing
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